With its solar-powered electric Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) Rover, Venturi Astrolab is on a mission to move humanity forward by designing and building interplanetary vehicles designed to transport people and cargo. Venturi announced Friday that its FLEX Rover will be launched on an upcoming SpaceX mission as the largest and most capable rover to travel the moon.
A new solar-powered electric FLEX rover will study the moon
Venturi Astrolab was established in 2021 and includes a team of highly specialized former NASA, SpaceX, and JPL engineers with experience in planetary robotics, electric vehicles, spaceflight, and more.
The Venturi Astrolab is part of the Venturi Group, which has specialized in designing and building high-performance electric vehicles since 2000.
Venturi Group President Gildo Pastor envisioned the electric lunar rover program in 2019, creating Venturi Lab shortly after. The three companies (Venturi Group, Venturi Astrolab, and Venturi Lab) are collaborating on the FLEX rover initiative.
Venturi Group will bring its expertise in building high-performance batteries. Venturi Labs creates materials resistant to extreme temperatures and radiation, as well as high-performance solar panels, deformable wheels, and electronic control systems.
Meanwhile, Venturi Astrolab is designing the electric rover’s architecture, structure, and mechanisms, alongside developing its software and avionics, and assembly.
The Flex electric Rover features a deployable 3m² solar array that can stow away during high-intensity operations. The vehicle’s four-wheel crab-walk feature allows it to keep the solar panels facing the sun while driving while the energy is stored in the FLEX’s internal batteries.
Astrolab revealed Friday it has reached an agreement with SpaceX to transport the FLEX rover on an upcoming mission to the moon as soon as mid-2026.
Once landed, the FLEX rover will be the largest and most capable rover to touch down and travel on the moon.
More than a rover, FLEX is a logistics system
Jared Mathews, founder and CEO of Astrolab, says the team has “created much more than a rover for use on the Moon or Mars.” He explains:
We’ve created a logistics system that can accommodate a wide variety of cargo. We expect that this approach will help establish a permanent lunar outpost on the Moon at a lower cost and in less time than previously envisioned.
The FLEX rover includes a highly dexterous six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm and remote science mast to pick up and examine objects. With the remote science masts stereo cameras, the rover can see the field in 3D.
In addition, a suite of sensors allows the FLEX can operate semiautonomously, allowing it to self-align with and pick up payloads.
SpaceX’s senior VP of commercial business added:
Developing sustainable outposts will require lunar logistics and transportation on the surface of the Moon, like what Astrolab offers. We look forward to working with the Astrolab team to deliver their FLEX Rover to the surface of the Moon.
Testing of the electric Flex Rover is ongoing, with the team testing a full-scale, fully functional prototype in the California desert last year. Astrolab says testing has continued in lunar analog sites and will continue throughout this year as it prepares for liftoff.
SpaceX will use the starship launch and landing system for the mission “as soon as mid-2026,” which it could get its launch license for within the next two weeks for. Learn more about SpaceX’s Starship launch here.
More details about the FLEX rover electric powertrain, battery system, and solar panels are expected soon. Check back for details.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Daimler’s new, all-electric truck brand made its Canadian debut this week with the official market launch of its battery electric class 4 and 5 medium duty work trucks.
After making its North American debut at the 2023 ACT Expo in Anaheim, California, Daimler Truck’s RIZON brand has continued on a steady march towards production with initial preorders set to open this June. But it won’t just be Americans who can order a new RIZON electric box truck – Canadians will be able to add them to their fleets at the same time.
“Canada is very advanced regarding green energy and infrastructure and is a natural next step for RIZON’s second market,” explains Andreas Deuschle, the Global Head of RIZON. “We are very happy to bring our zero-emission solution to Canadian customers. They are proven OEM trucks with the latest technology from Daimler Truck.”
Modernism and mandates
Along with California and a handful of other US states, the Canadian government has plans to limit (or outright ban) the use of diesel trucks on its roads. In the case of Canada, the nation has committed to a zero emissions goal by 2050 – but Daimler could have gotten there without launching a new brand.
So, why is Daimler launching a new brand?
RIZON is about reaching new customers with a chassis that’s been designed from the ground-up to be an EV. These customers might be new to Daimler, or looking to replace an aging fleet of Isuzu or (more likely) Mitsubishi Fuso cabovers with something a little more modern.
What they’ll find in a RIZON, then, is a smooth, quiet, and car-like ride that will make the “step up” from something like a Ford E-Transit easier than they might think.
RIZON will offer four model variants for Canadian customers, the e16L, e16M, e18L, and the e18M, with a range of configurations and options ranging from 7.25 to 8.55 ton GVWRs.
Electrek’s Take
There’s definitely a place in the North American market for an agile, easy-to-drive medium duty truck like the RIZON, and Daimler’s nationwide network of Freightliner and Western Star dealers should give first time MD buyers a bit more peach of mind than they might get from a startup brand.
You can check out the specs on each of the RIZON electric models, below, then let us know what you think of these new cabover EVs in the comments.
Image courtsy Dailer Trucks.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
The all-new, all-electric Italdesign Quintessenza concept is a high-tech Italian take on the Porsche Dakar concept that’s just begging to be put into production.
Making its debut at the Beijing Auto Show, the Italdesign Quintessenza concept embodies both the dynamic prowess of a GT andthe versatile adaptability of a pick-up truck. At least, that’s what its makers say. And, if your idea of a pickup truck leans more towards “Subaru Brat” than “Ford F-150 Lightning,” that’s probably right!
The rear section of the Quintessenza converts from a “hatchback” to an open “pickup” bed in true Brat fashion. The rear seats are designed to flip 180-degrees backwards, providing a rear-facing, panoramic “stargazing” mode that promises, “(the) experience and feeling of connection with nature and the outside world.”
Those design elements aren’t just aesthetic – they’re loaded with electronics. “Two aerodynamic fins that integrate the ADAS systems are present on the upper back of the roof, at the level of the C-pillars,” reads the official release. “They map the surrounding environment when the satellite signal is poor, and offer multifunction lights indicating the car’s driving mode and braking when the hard top is removed.”
Quintessenza vertical elements
So, what kind of vehicle is the Italdesign Quintessenza? Is it a true overland GT, in the style of the Porsche Dakar or 911 SC/RS (the rally car that became the 959)? Is it a high-end spin on the classic Subaru Brat? A futuristic Ute for traversing the Australian outback? Or is it something else entirely?
That’s above our pay grades – but you, dear readers? You guys know what’s up, so check out the official Quintessenza launch video (below), then let us know what you think of Italdesign’s latest in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
All the cool suburbanites are already taking their kids to school, loading up at the farmers’ market, and making deliveries on clever and capable cargo e-bikes, but the new Momentum Cito E+ from Giant raises the cargo bike bar even higher — and makes leaving the car at home easier than ever.
Momentum is a new brand of “lifestyle” e-bikes from Giant Group designed to deliver premium features to customers while still hitting that $3,000-4,000 market “sweet spot.” Their latest bike, the all-new for 2024 Cito E+ utility bike, does just that, coming to market with a premium battery, Bluetooth technology, a suite of high-end safety features, and a $3,200 starting price.
Premium battery
Battery is fully integrated into the downtube.Easy battery charging.
Getting the most out of your e-bike often means getting the most out of your battery — and Momentum absolutely gets that. The Cito E+ ships with a 780 Watt-hour Panasonic battery pack with 22700 cells that have been optimized for e-bike use.
The battery is easily removable for charging at home or in an office, but it can be charged while it’s in the bike, too. Either way, charging won’t take long — from 0 to 80% of charge (approx. 60 miles) of range is available in 3.5 hours, while a full (75 mile) charge takes less than 5 hours.
Connected cargo bike
As our test rider highlights in the video (above), the Momentum Cito E+ uses a proprietary battery management system, or BMS, to monitor the battery pack for maximum efficiency and reliability down to the individual cell level.
The BMS uses Bluetooth connectivity to transfer battery health data, state of charge, and other important information straight to the RideControl app, which enables the bike’s owner to get an in-depth look at the overall state of their e-bike and provides valuable diagnostic data to both the technicians tasked with servicing the bike and Giant themselves, to help develop even better e-bikes in the future.
That connection to Giant Group is a huge potential benefit to Momentum Cito E+ buyers, by the way, as it gives them access to support from more than 1,200 brick and mortar Giant dealers across the US alone (above).
That’s a serious advantage that online-only bike brands simply can’t match.
Safety first … and maybe second, too
Powerful, premium disc brakes.High-visibility LEDs and electric horn.
Momentum’s commitment to safety doesn’t stop at the battery. The Cito E+ features confidence-inspiring 4 piston hydraulic disc brakes and a heavy duty suspension for predictable handling even under heavy loads — important if you have to suddenly haul the bike down from its electronically assisted 28 mph top speed with precious kids and cargo on the back.
LED head and taillights with a lever-activated taillight ensure Cito E+ riders will be seen, too, helping you stay safer after hours.
Accessories and add-ons
Momentum Cito E+ top tube accessory and Momentum front basket shown; image by Electrek.
Momentum’s Cito E+ offers a comprehensive selection of accessories to help optimize it for each rider’s unique use case — whether that’s hauling up to 132 lbs. of cargo on the rear rack and 33 lbs. on the optional front basket (shown, above), or adding 2 Thule Yepp Maxi seats and getting the little ones to school five times a week.
You can find out more about the Momentum Cito E+ and the brand’s available accessories by clicking here.
Momentum Cito E+ gallery
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.